Age UK Avis 

Absolutely appalling! No notification of staff absence until 4hours to up to two days afterwards!! Almost zero effort to engage with my husband on any level!
Exceedingly unprofessional and uncaring.

I feel rather sad about writing this review as I usually write good reviews and try to find a lot of positive things to say but this one will be more difficult…
I became a volunteer some months ago for Age Uk Hythe Kent. I was offered a Thursday in the day services and accepted only to find they then gave it to another volunteer!- She hadn't turned up so they graciously said they would phone her and if she didn't want it I could have it! ( Obviously I was second best)
I was then diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t work for 6 months but really looked forward and focused on being able to help with the dementia group who had been relocated from Lyminge I felt I would be very suitable to help in this group.
It was arranged for me to turn up for a trial on June 6th between 10 and 10.30 but when I arrived it had been given to another volunteer. I was upset and angry and preferred not to help in the day services that I was then offered to placate me as I just wanted to go home. I was offered the Wednesday with the dementia group and initially agreed but thought about it and didn't trust that there wouldn't be another volunteer in there by the time I got there so I returned and handed in my badge.
I had needed to rearrange a fast tracked appointment for possibly another type of cancer so not to let age uk down! I did not get the same consideration from age uk.
I suppose the people that were chosen in preference to me were either friends of staff or more qualified in some way?
I had felt I could contribute a lot to the Charity because of my experiences and perhaps rather stupidly thought age uk would benefit, after all I would work for free.

I grew up with a disabled mother ( MS)
I attended St Johns Ambulance for a few years in my younger years, helped at a preschool play group and volunteered at a youth club.
I worked for 20 years with adults with learning disabilities ( 15 years with the Home Farm Trust) then freelance for other companies.
I worked alongside volunteers at the Home farm trust and they were always treated with the same respect as both the staff and the clients. They were valued.
HFT trust sent me to college where amongst other things I learned about not only learning disabilities but elderly care, dementia, physical disabilities, mental health, abuse, deafness and blindness etc I earned a minor qualification ( CSC)
I nursed my late partner alone until his death.
I have three grandchildren who are diagnosed with Autism and one with Tourettes.
My sister died 3 months ago, she had dementia and I helped with her care.
Im still in my 60s (just) so not too old to cope. I very misguidedly thought age Uk would want people like me with lots of experience of people who need help.
I have learned a lesson and that is never to offer to work for no pay for any organisation ever again.
I think the volunteer coordinator was a bit upset too. I don't think she meant to be unkind I don't want to cause her trouble, I feel she may have too much work or maybe she needs to add volunteers to a calendar so this doesn't happen again. It’s happened to me twice it must have happened to others.

Please pass this review on the age uk Hythe Kent as I feel it can be learned from.

I think it is time for age uk to close its doors. Absolutely useless at helping older people. All about generating income for the company. I am now in the process of taking legal action against the Gateshead branch and the head office along with massive publicity. Your claims of helping millions is complete rubbish. Nothing more to say.

Age UK seems to be another yet another Charity that is more about wage generation for directors and employees rather than being able to help in any way. They were totally useless when I found myself homeless and offerred no help at all.

These shops are actually competing with the local clothes shops and antique shop which is evident by the prices that they charge for some of the brik a brak
Have you ever thought about what happens to all the valuable items that get donated to these shops?
Most of what you see is indeed charity shop Items, but have you ever seen any valuable items jewellery for instance or does this get claimed by the managers?
Just a thought!

Ramshill Rd, Scarborough. The rudest woman I have ever encountered in retail.

Wish there was a 0 star option. Julie is rude and not helpful. Debbie promises help but nothing materialises. My mother is in dire financial need and noone at Age UK Leeds seems to want to help her. Terrible experience at this “organisation"

I was a volunteer at age UK London street Norwich but I got kicked out for something that was not my entirely fault because I was on the till and all I did was cancelled a couple of items after I pressed the finish and pay button know I know it should a paid member of staff who has to go backwards and cancel an item after you pressed the finish and pay button but the manager himself gave me his till number number and I assume he gave me permission to use his till to cancel items as I was never told not to use his till number I thought I was being helpful as I was backed up with angry costumer and I not find a paid member of staff to come and cancel at item no matter how many times I rang the bell near the till for a paid member of staff to come and cancel an item and I was backed up with other costumers who need to be served so after all that I was told that I had to leave or the police would be called all because the manager gave me his till number now I feel isolated because I live on my I feel I have been disability discriminated and age discriminated and I feel like killing myself for it I feel depressed as well as isolated because I live in a one bedroom flat alone and on my own 24/7 days a week and the only thing that could change all of that is if I can get in to age UK as a volunteer and start from where I left off the manager also said the Sarah the area manager and Sam the big boss told him to get rid of me I write on the CEO Paul farmer comment page on LINKEDIN which he has not got back to me and I wrote to head office of age UK saying I have got no food and drink in my flat so I have not eaten or drinking for a couple of months and I told them that my mobile has broken and that I do not have a landline phone and Sam the big boss wrote an email back with all these phone numbers for me to call but one how am I meant to call any one if I have got to phone to call from and 2 how am I meant to go to those places in the first place because they are miles from where I live and I do not drive and I have no money to catch a bus plus I do not where these places are all I can say it would be easier if I can come back to age as volunteer and start back from where I left off because I would so happy then because the volunteers and the costumers I served were like family to me plus if I could come back as a volunteer I could make age UK more money then they know what to do with and I can get there gift aid up in donations and selling gift aid donations by 200 percent especially if they make me a key holder once they got the key holder thing sorted

The Age UK helpline is nothing like a helpline. Every instance I have asked for advice they haven't been of any help and have made me feel worse. My following calls to Samaritans have been far more helpful. It says something when ringing a helpline ends in a call to Samaritans. I'm just one senior citizen trying to help another senior citizens but Age UK are definitely no help at all, in fact they have made the situation far worse.

Age UK in Haywards Heath is absolutely brilliant. I can go whenever I like and the lunches are delicious. I love the art classes and board games group. They have various exercise classes and you can book treatments too. There are celebratiin days for things such as Valentines Day. St Patrick's day, Easter etc. with a quiz, raffle, lunch and musical entertainment. All very reasonably priced for our State Pension budgets. It's very friendly and I highly recommend going.

Bought a top in a age uk charity shop in Morpeth. As the top was no good i tried to take it back to age uk charity shop in my local shop in Blaydon. They said i had to take it back to Morpeth that they were an independant company but the sign outside the shop had the age uk sign so whats that all about. Just felt the assistant just couldnt be bothered to do a credit note for me. Will never support age uk again.

Aren't you ashamed of yourselves? Look at your ratings.
Because you are a business and conspire with care homes and other authorities to cover up elderly abuse.
Politicians and the media blame the elderly for all the problems of the country, from the economy to the NHS, to a degree that younger people hate them and want to get rid of them, while you hardly say anything to defend them.

Wast of time useless.
They just make you feel worse.
I am extreamly disabled in cronic pain. Needed expanding with papers. No expanding at all.
I'm now depressed bear 70.

NO CONCERN FOR OLD PEOPLE. I have been in touch with this Organisation twice , at different Branches in Kent. over the last 10 years. no help at all . Once for advice on My battle with local Council
.I am now in My late seventies This week I called in at My local Branch , as I was desperate . living in primitive accommodation without power. in sub zero temperatures .. They offered no help or advice. would not even listen to Me, ( 'CANNOT HELP YOU' ) admittedly I did look a bit disheveled at the time ( due to My situation )

Last week we had a visit from Age auk Paul Gallagher was their representative it was very informative how to keep our home warmer and comfortable and little things like using our appliances correctly it made sense.He fitted draft excluders on doors radiator foils to keep the heat in the room and energy saving light bulbs a carbon monoxide detector was also fitted.Any worries we have in the future concerning our home we will definitely call Age uk and a big thank you to Paul.Elizabeth Elliott.

Our mum is suffering from dementia and was coming to live with us. We contacted ageuk several times and nobody got back to us. We took mum to an ageuk centre where they were giving out information face face to make sure they had everything they needed to know about our situation and the woman took down all our details and said 'leave it with me and we'll get this sorted' - nobody got back to us. This has been going on for weeks. They have proven themselves to be absolutely useless, to put it kindly. Having given contributions to the charity countless times, I would never do so again. This is dispicable, especially when one reads of the financial officer being jailed for fraud of £400,000 and the chief executive earning in excess of £200,000 per year. Outrageous.

Spoken to a lovely today and the valuable work going into supporting vulnerable older adults. Was happy to sponsor Age UK on a monthly basis to contribute to all the hard work sponsored by Age UK. I feel deeply saddened by the fact that so much money is going into supporting this service by the government.

Their "Day Centres" in my area is only 4 hours. Their website does not tell you that their is a charge for the lunch mentioned. The lunch is obligatory and costs £8 per week and you are only allowed 4 absences, the other 48 have to be paid whether you want it or not. Basically they are not offering care/help for the elderly - it is jyst a moneymaking organisation

I have never telephoned them for help on ANY issue with success. Health, footcare, handyman etc etc.
In my opinion and in my experience utterly useless.

Maybe I caught them on a bad day however when my mother was poorly and bed ridden I called them for help and advice and to be honest my experience was very poor. I found the member of staff dismissive and basically stand offish. I merely needed help with who to turn too but quickly learnt they didn’t really care! I ended up calling Kent adult services and was very lucky to be appointed a wonderful lady who ensured my mother’s last remaining months were as good as anyone would hope! Thanks Kent Adult Social Services but no thanks to Age UK……..the adverts on tv don’t impress me!!